SEES Fellows: Multi-scale Analysis of Lignin for Drop-in Biofuels: From quantum chemical analysis of pretreatment methods to life cycle assessment of feedstocks

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In this Award from the NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability Fellows (SEES Fellows Program) Dr. Adam Pelzer from Northwestern University will investigate the feasibility of using lignin from cellulosic biomass as a drop-in biofuel. The work will range from quantum chemical analysis of pretreatment methods to life cycle assessment of feedstocks. This award has support from the Chemistry Division of the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences.The aim of studies like that proposed in this work is to develop methods to turn a chemically recalcitrant, but energy-rich, component of biomass, lignin, into a source of liquid fuel. Dr. Pelzer will be working with collaborators Prof. Linda Broadbelt of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern University and Dr. Randy Cortright, founder and Chief Technology Officer at Virent. Dr. Pelzer will also work with faculty at Northwestern University and faculty and students in the Chicago Community College system on a series of educational activities centered on sustainability issues.This project is supported under the NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability Fellows (SEES Fellows) program, with the goal of helping to enable discoveries needed to inform actions that lead to environmental, energy and societal sustainability while creating the necessary workforce to address these challenges. With SEES Fellows support, this project will enable a promising early career researcher to establish themselves in an independent research career related to sustainability.